Cowboy Apple Pie

This is a drink that is Popular among the Cowboy/Civil War reenactors,Passed down from my pard "Ivory Jack" hope you enjoy it too:


COWBOY APPLE PIE


FIRST
Place 2 cups raisins in a small pot.
Add water until raisins are covered.
Boil until the water is absorbed.

SECOND
Combine the following ingredients in a large pot:
• 1 gallon apple juice
• 4 whole cinnamon sticks (broken up)
• 4 cinnamon hard candies
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups raisins from step one

Bring to a slow rolling boil and let boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool, then strain with cheesecloth.

THIRD
Place strained liquid back on the burner and add the following ingredients:
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Bring to a boil again, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the fire and allow mixture to cool.

FOURTH
Add the booze:
• 2 cups Bacardi 151 rum (Everclear can be substituted for 151, but if you do, delete the light rum)
• 1 cup light or white rum
• 2 tablespoons Hot Damn cinnamon schnapps
Pour into a suitable container.
For best results, let it sit for at least two weeks. You can drink it right away, but it’s better after it sits a while.

here are a couple more versions of this recipe:

3 gallons apple juice (not cider)
1/2 gallon Southern Comfort
1/2 gallon Yukon Jack
2 packets Mexican cinnamon sticks (find them at most supermarkets in the Mexican food section)
1 box candied ginger
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
2 medium lemons

To prepare:
Take one gallon of the apple juice and place in a large soup stock pot (5 gallon size)and add to it while still cool:
1 packette of the cinnamon sticks
2 pieces of course chopped candied ginger
cloves
allspice
and the zest of one lemon (this is just the yellow part of the rind. No white from the rind as this is bitter.
I cut mine off in long strips with a very sharp knife, but there is a little tool you can buy called a citris zester that works well)

On medium high heat bring this up to the boil then turn down heat and let simmer for about 5 or 10 minutes.Remove from heat and allow to cool.Once cooled, strain the juice and return to the large stock pot. To the gallon of spiced juice add the remaining apple juice, and the juice from one lemon and the Southern Comfort and Yukon Jack and stir together.I have bought four one gallon glass ice tea jugs to store mine in, I suppose in a pinch very well cleaned gallon milk jugs would work. Into each gallon container I add two cinnamon sticks and a couple of long strips of lemon zest from the second lemon.Now you can drink this within the hour, but it tends to mellow the longer it sits.This recipe has come down to me from the Mountianman Rendezvous of the 1970's. It takes a little time to make, but it is a superior product.I have several recipes and have been making this drink for almost three decades. This is the recipe that everyone seems to like and ask for.Some folks use Red Hots (I've tryed this)but I believe the product comes out tasting too sweet.

Shortcut Apple Pie

1 gal. natural apple juice/ unfiltered/ unsweetened/ pasteurized
6 medium (3") cinnamon sticks
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown for stronger flavor)
1/4 cup honey (I used fresh raw honey)
2 or 3 shakes of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
750ml Everclear
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil, then bring to a simmer to reduce by 1/4. Cool and then remove the cinnamon sticks. Add the Everclear and the vanilla. Mix well and pour into a jug. Age at least 2 weeks

super moist Choclate Mayo cake

1 box (18 oz.) chocolate cake mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans*; set aside. 2. In large bowl, with electric mixer on low speed, beat cake mix, mayonnaise, water, eggs and cinnamon 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping sides occasionally, 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans. 3. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. On wire rack, cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely. Sprinkle, if desired, with confectioners sugar or fill and frost.
*Or, prepare cake mix as above in 13 x 9-inch baking pan and bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
VARIATIONS:
For a Pecan Coconut Topped Cake...combine 1 cup flaked coconut, 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup chopped pecans, then sprinkle over cake batter in 13 x 9-inch baking dish before baking.
For a Black Forest Chocolate Cake...do not flour baking pan. Evenly spread 2 cans (21 oz. ea.) cherry pie filling over bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan, top with prepared cake batter and bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, then turn upside down onto serving platter.
For a Decadent Chocolate Lava Cake...combine 2 packages (3.4 oz. ea.) instant pudding, 2 cups water, 2 cups milk and 1/3 cup sugar until blended, then pour over cake batter in 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted along edge comes out clean and serve warm.
For a Yellow Mayonnaise Cake...substitute 1 box (18 oz.) yellow cake mix for chocolate cake mix.

Trinity

Trinity is the base seasoning of many fine soul food dishes, like Hoppin John and greens of any sort.


equal parts celery, onion, and sweet pepper either red or green-chop and dice to similar sized piecessautee in a little oil, shortning, Lard, or Bacon Greese.
you can freeze Trinity in small portions ahead of time and use it as you need it. This is good to do because when vegetables go out of season they get expensive and inferior.